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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26814904">Of wayward dogs and travel books</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunlit_music/pseuds/sunlit_music'>sunlit_music</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Archer's Goon - Diana Wynne Jones, Eight Days of Luke - Diana Wynne Jones</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Crossover, Fantasy, Gen, Mythology References, Travel, World Travel</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 09:27:43</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,137</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26814904</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunlit_music/pseuds/sunlit_music</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>David, Luke and Astrid are on holiday, looking for Luke's dog (wolf) Fenrir at a beach. They bump into Erskine and Quentin, who are both writing a travel book. Erskine helps them find Luke's wayward missing dog. :)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Of wayward dogs and travel books</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Archer's Goon and Eight Days of Luke are copyrighted to Diana Wynne Jones. This fanfiction story is set after the end of those books.</p><p>In Archer's Goon, Erskine (The Goon) says he's always wanted to travel around the world after being stuck in sewers, and wants to ask Quentin, an author, to help him write a book about it.</p><p>In Eight Days of Luke, Luke tells Astrid jokingly he comes from the very tip of South America.</p><p>Fenrir the wolf is Luke's son from Norse mythology. Here, Fenrir appears as a huge wolf dog.</p><p>I changed the beach location from Argentina to Australia because 1) it isn't fair to write a story about Argentina when I'm not Argentinian and have never been to Argentina, and 2) I'm an Australian citizen and have actually been to Bondi beach pre-covid. I'm sorry for not making this writing change earlier. Thank you to the people who corrected me and told me not to write about a culture I'm not from. </p><p>As always (because there are times Norse based literature sadly has fascist fans), be anti-fascist.</p><p>Wear a mask, wash your hands, keep a distance of 6 feet apart between strangers, stay safe everyone.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Quentin was finding it <em>much</em> easier to write decently now that he didn't have to worry about the threat of electricity blackouts, power and water outages hanging over his head. </p><p>He'd written those ridiculous two thousand words for his adopted son - Howard - Venturus - gods, it was so weird to think of Howard as Venturus - without caring much what he wrote.</p><p>Writing was a <em>lot </em>more fun when he wrote what he liked. </p><p>He never thought he'd be writing a travel biography. Least of all with Erskine - the Goon.</p><p>It turned out that Bondi Beach, Australia, was a stunning, affordable and relaxing place to write his new book. </p><p>Erskine stretched out his impossibly long legs, and fixed the locals with a cheery Goon look that made people dart away quickly or trip over his legs. </p><p>"We've been walking <em>everywhere</em>," said Quentin.</p><p>"We have." Erskine grinned.</p><p>"I'm so glad we can finally sit down." Quentin sipped from his chipped mug, the one where Erskine had carved a V for Venturus and an A for Archer. </p><p>"Awful isn't going to be happy," Erskine said suddenly.</p><p>"Really? Why not?" asked Quentin.</p><p>"You lost your paunch. From all the walking and traveling we did. She can't tease you about it anymore." </p><p>Quentin burst out laughing. That much was true. </p><p>"How is the book coming along?" asked Erskine. His tiny head seemed miles away, but his smile was sincere and interested.</p><p>"Pretty good. You know, you need to add your thoughts to our travel book too. You're traveling with me, you're a co author."</p><p>"Really?" Erskine sounded shy and pleased.</p><p>"Really. It's not hard. Just talk about what you liked, what you found interesting or different, where we went, what we did, anyone interesting we met," said Quentin encouragingly. </p><p>"Great. Will do," said Erskine, pleased. "Might just talk about how wonderful it is to have all this space after being all cramped up in a sewer years ago."</p><p>"Hi there! Sorry to interrupt...have you seen a large dog by any chance?" said a voice behind them. </p><p>Quentin and Erskine turned around. Two young men in their early twenties and a fair haired pretty woman in her thirties were standing behind them. </p><p>One of the young men was dark haired and stocky, while the other one was tall, red haired, freckled with a mischievous sunny smile. </p><p> "There's plenty of dogs here, it's a popular beach. What does your dog look like?" asked Quentin curiously. </p><p>The tall young man raised his hand somewhere to above Erskine's height. "Oh, you know, sometimes he's this tall, but he's a real softie. He's been growing really fast."</p><p>"Hopefully not fast enough to block out the sun," muttered the lady. The tall man looked alarmed, but hid this with a friendly smile. </p><p>"Sorry! I'm Luke, and this is David and Astrid."</p><p>"Pleasure. I'm Quentin, and this is my friend Erskine." They shook hands. </p><p>"We're looking for my dog, Fenrir. He's got a black nose, small ears, is really fluffy, has brown fur. Looks like a cross between a wolf and a dog." Luke looked at them hopefully. </p><p>Quentin shook his head regretfully. "I'm sorry. I was busy writing my book, and I didn't notice if your dog passed us."</p><p>"Wait. Big dog. This wide. This high?" asked Erskine suddenly, raising his hand to a certain height. </p><p>David, the stocky young man nodded, smiling, and Luke laughed, delighted. "Yes! Sounds like him."</p><p>"Wait here. I'll go get him." Erskine stood up, almost blocking out the sun. He smiled down at Quentin. "Don't finish your book without me."</p><p>"Wouldn't dream of it." Quentin returned his smile and returned to writing. </p><p>***</p><p>For a moment, David was alarmed by Erskine's short, clipped speech, and incredible height, and was reminded of Chew. But unlike Chew, Erskine seemed a lot more approachable and less threatening. </p><p>Erskine raced down the beach in a few long strides so rapidly, David blinked.</p><p>"Luke...Erskine's not one of your long lost relatives, is he? He just covered a whole heap of ground in a few minutes, like Thor and Chew!" exclaimed David. </p><p>Luke shook his head. "No, I'd definitely remember him if we'd met."</p><p>"Ugh, thank goodness I chose sensible low heeled shoes for once," said Astrid. "Running after your dog is no small job, Luke!"</p><p>"You can just take off your shoes so your feet feel comfortable. It's ok. We're at the beach," said David.</p><p>Astrid laughed. "Bless you, David! Why didn't I think of that?" She removed her shoes and they padded after Erskine. </p><p>Erskine came back several minutes later, tugging desperately on Fenrir's leash. Fenrir ran off towards Luke, and tackled him happily. Luke laughed, ruffling Fenrir's fur. David petted Fenrir while Astrid gave Fenrir a chew toy from her bag of seventy knick knacks. </p><p>Luke beamed at Erskine. "Thank you! I owe you."</p><p>"Not a problem. You're welcome. <span>Big dog. Very friendly. But not obedient." Erskine wiped sweat off his brow. "Going back to write book now. Have fun. See you round." He waved at them cordially, and strode over to Quentin's chair almost in the blink of an eye. </span></p><p>
  <span>"I can safely say traveling with you is *never* dull, Luke," said David fervently. He stared after Erskine. Perhaps Erskine *was* one of Luke's people? And if not, who <em>was </em>he?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Luke laughed a little. "If you say so, oh Noble Benefactor."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Didn't you say you lived at the tip of South America, Luke?" said Astrid suddenly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I did. Just kidding around, although I did go there hundreds of years ago to do a favour from Wedding." Luke shrugged and smiled a little. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They headed over to where Quentin and Erskine were sitting. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>***</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Quentin was explaining to Erskine how to write a traditional travel biography versus a more modern one, when David, Luke and Astrid showed up again with their supernaturally huge dog in tow. Quentin had never seen such a huge dog in his entire life. It looked more like a prehistoric wolf than a dog. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I was just wondering how I could repay you for finding my dog," said Luke sincerely.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Erskine gave Quentin a thoughtful look.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Well." Erskine scratched his head in a decidedly Goon like way. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"There is one thing..." Quentin said slowly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes?" asked David and Luke together. They shared a look, and Astrid laughed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Would you like to be interviewed for our travel biography book?" asked Quentin, with a gleam in his eye. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Sure," Luke said sunnily. He looked unfazed, ruffling Fenrir's fur. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Ok by me," said David shyly. "I've never been interviewed for a book before."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Sure thing," said Astrid, looking pleased. "Looking forward to it."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>To hell with it. Quentin shared a thoughtful look  with Erskine. This was going to be interesting, and one hell of a travel book.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Possibly the best thing he'd ever written. </span>
</p><p> </p><p> </p>
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